Crocodile attacks on humans are common in places where large crocodilians are native and human populations live. [1] These are the West African crocodile (often considered quite harmless,[4] but has been involved in several attacks, also fatal),[5] American crocodile (only a few documented fatalities),[3][6][7] the Morelet's crocodile (typically considered a relatively non-threatening species, but there have been several fatal attacks),[7][8] Orinoco crocodile (fatalities recorded in the 1930s and earlier when the species was more common, but today it is very rare),[9][10] Cuban crocodile (generally considered aggressive, but only one confirmed fatality),[3][11] black caiman (fatal attacks confirmed in Brazil, but possibly underreported because of its remote range),[3] American alligator (making up an estimated 6% of fatal crocodilian attacks),[2] and false gharial (only a few confirmed fatalities, all involving very large false gharials). The soldiers succumbed to the nightly menace, realizing that saltwater crocs were nocturnal and excelled at night hunting. A thousand Japanese soldiers were purportedly killed by saltwater crocodiles in the Ramree mangroves. Soon after entering the slimy mudhole, Japanese soldiers began to succumb to diseases, dehydration, and starvation. Of the 1,000 troops who entered the swamp on Ramree Island, only a reported 480 survived. Your email address will not be published. Reconnaissance carried out on 14 January 1945, found that Japanese forces were placing artillery in caves overlooking the landing beaches on Ramree and the Royal Navy assigned the battleship HMSQueen Elizabeth, the escort carrier HMSAmeer, light cruiser HMSPhoebe, the destroyers Rapid, Napier, Norman and Pathfinder, with the sloops Flamingo and HMISKistna. As World War II was nearing its end in January of 1945, the island of Ramree off the coast of Burma was the scene of a desperate battle. In 2016, he decided to tackle the mystery of the Crocodile Massacre at Ramree Island after learning that the Guinness Book of World Records had relied on Wrights book for source material. On Feb. 24, 1945, Reuters war correspondents reported that Japanese soldiers trying to escape Ramree island were "being forced by hunger out of the mangrove swamps and many have been killed by crocodiles. In January 1945, two infantry brigades from the Indian Army and a detachment of British commandos were dispatched to Ramree Island, the largest island off the coast of present-day Myanmar (then known as Burma). In early 1945, as part of the Pacific War during World War II, Allied forces pinned down 1,000 Japanese soldiers in a mangrove swamp off the coast of Burma (now Myanmar). The Japanese understood that saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamp of Ramree Island anyway. An Australian Army soldier suffered serious head and chest injuries after being mauled by a crocodile that attacked him late on Friday, Australia media . It just shows that you should never underestimate the power of nature. Deasy Tuwo, 44, was feeding croc Merry early on Friday morning at the CV. The crocodiles, alerted by the din of warfare and the smell of blood, gathered among the mangroves, lying with their eyes above water, watchfully alert for their next meal. Sideleau, B. Joseph Howard received a Navy and Marine Corps Medal for risking his life to save others. Offer subject to change without notice. Upon entering Ramree Island in the Bay of Bengal in early 1945, Japanese troops encountered a very uncertain situation. As World War II was nearing its end in January of 1945, the island of Ramree off the coast of Burma was the scene of a desperate battle.. However, we must ask the question: did this event really occur? 8. Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles in the world. What awaited them there was a horror beyond comprehension. The rest were reportedly eaten alive by hordes of prehistoric-looking saltwater crocodiles. An eye-opening journey through the history, culture, and places of the culinary world. CrocBITE, Worldwide Crocodilian Attack Database: Sideleau, B., and Britton A.R.C. In Burma, the Allies faced a fierce enemy not only adept in jungle warfare and but also notorious for their suicidal kamikaze charges. 1.7K views, 54 likes, 0 loves, 2 comments, 9 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Coffee or Die Magazine: Did crocodiles really eat hundreds of Japanese soldiers in World War II? No Japanese survived . A SCIENTIST was eaten alive by a 17ft long crocodile after being dragged into its enclosure while she fed it last week. No purchase necessary. Screenshot showing the 2017 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records adding a note to the previous edition correcting information about the claim that saltwater crocodiles killed hundreds of Japanese soldiers at Ramree Island in World War II. However, there is no specific mention of the crocodile attack devouring over 900 Japanese. After a bloody campaign, British troops managed to drive nearly 1,000 enemy combatants off the island into the dense mangrove swamp that covered some 10 miles of Ramree. This type of crocodile can grow as much as 20 feet in length and can weigh about 22,000 pounds. Some British soldiers, including naturalist Bruce Stanley Wright, who participated in the expedition, claimed that crocodiles attacked and ate numerous Japanese soldiers. The Japanese understood that saltwater crocodiles have a reputation for eating humans but they went into the mangrove swamp of Ramree Island anyway. It is mentioned in his1962 book Wildlife Sketches: Near and Far. Another additional problem for the Japanese troops was the lack of drinking water and constant threat of starvation. In January 1945, two. That night [19 February 1945] was the most horrible that any member of the M. L. [motor launch] crews ever experienced. (now Myanmar). The current evidence, which is clear but limited, suggest we should not believe it. Upon completing his investigation, Willis brought his findings to Guinness Book of World Records editor-in-chief Crag Glenday, who agreed to add a note to the Ramree Island entry stating that new research by the National Geographic Channel, however, has cast doubt on the story, or at least on the extent of deaths. Thus, the legend was put to rest. [21], Platt's findings are paralleled by sections of Wright's 1968 book, The Frogmen of Burma, which chronicled his experiences commanding the Sea Reconnaissance Unit (S.R.U.) He also gathered military records that stated that the majority of Japanese soldiers were shot dead by the Allies or simply drowned in the swamp. These reptiles can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh 2,000 pounds, with many being known to eat animals as big as Indian water buffalo. As part of his research, he visited the marshes of Ramree Island and interviewed locals. ----------------Visit my unique travel channel on Youtube - Traveling on the Go ----------------- Here is the claim: Allied forces in the Pacific War during World War II trapped 1,000 Japanese soldiers in a mangrove swamp off the coast of Burma in the early months of 1945. Many historians debunk the tale of the massacre, but some facts do point to some veracity of the incident. Then, read up on Desmond Doss, the Hacksaw Ridge medic who saved dozens of soldiers lives during World War II. The Ramree Island crocodile attack in January 1945, the deadliest attack of its kind recorded thus far, came just as World War II ended. [1], The two species with the most well-known and documented reputation for preying on humans are the Nile crocodile and saltwater crocodile, and these are the perpetrators of the vast majority of both fatal and non-fatal crocodilian attacks. The croc was shot by a hunter in Queensland, Australia, in 1957. The mangrove swamp was thick with mud and it was slow-going. [5] The Japanese garrison of Ramree consisted of the II Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment (Colonel Kanichi Nagazawa), part of the 54th Division, with artillery and engineer detachments to act as an independent force. But exactly how many men died in the maws of the mighty crocs remains up for debate because no one knows how many troops succumbed to disease, dehydration, or starvation as opposed to predation. Ramree Island was captured by the Japanese in 1942. How did crocodiles manage to kill so many armed men? Have you ever heard of Ramree Island? Wood, The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. The most prominent firsthand retelling of what happened comes from naturalist Bruce Stanley Wright, who participated in the Battle of Ramree Island and gave this written account: That night [of February 19, 1945] was the most horrible that any member of the M.L. One special ops vet felt a sense of connection with fallen comrades while skydiving over the Egyptian pyramids. Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. What happened next is a bit of a mystery; however, according to one version of the story the best-known version only 20 of the soldiers who entered the marshes made it out alive; the rest were eaten by crocodiles. Unfortunately, these reptiles are some of the most territorial species on earth and arent afraid to show aggression toward people, especially biting. The naturalist Bruce Stanley Wright described the scene unfolding in his 1962 book,Wildlife Sketches Near and Far: That night was the most horrible that any member of the M.L. What will one do when you have to face death on both ends of a road A depiction of a saltwater crocodile emerging from the water alongside British soldiers at Ramree Island during World War II. Saltwater crocodiles can weigh more than 2,000 pounds and have one of the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom. Reportedly, the Japanese troops, as if they hadn't endured enough, became victims to countless Saltwater crocodile attacks. On 21 January, an hour before the 71st Indian Infantry Brigade (Brigadier R. C. Cotterell-Hill) was to land, Queen Elizabeth opened fire with 69 rounds of 15in (380mm)-shell from the main battery, the fall of shot being watched by aircraft from Ameer. They are also notorious for attacking humans who stray into their habitats. The body is protected against danger and predator. It is not difficult to imagine what happened to the Japanese who took refuge in the mangroves! We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. If you dont attempt the crossing, you must face the enemy troops closing in on you. What animal has the strongest armor? In addition, the references made to crocodiles are minimal compared to the passages detailing the dangers of malaria. The invasion force was led by three Joint Assault Commanders, Captain Bush RN, Major-General Cyril Lomax and Wing Commander H. Smith. Havelock Island, where the attack took place, lies 72 kilometres (45mi) from the Lohabarrack Salt Water Crocodile Sanctuary. You dont want to get bit by this creature, though, as their bite force is the strongest in the animal kingdom. It is difficult to counter any of the reasonable arguments put forward by McLynn as there is simply no evidence to the contrary. A saltwater crocodile (via Wikimedia) Around 500 Japanese soldiers are thought to have escaped those mangrove swamps, and 20 of them were eventually recaptured by the British forces who had. On mainland Burma, diseases such as malaria accounted for almost half the total death toll of Allied forces. Many of the areas in which humans and large crocodiles come into contact are remote, impoverished, or in areas of political unrest. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). One night the British soldiers reported hearing panicked screams and gunfire emanating from within the darkness of the swamp. Nile freshwater crocodiles, like the one pictured here, have a reputation as man-eaters, similarly to the saltwater crocodiles that were rumored to ravage Japanese soldiers at Ramree Island in Myanmar in 1945. [1][3][13] Four of them, the Siamese crocodile, broad-snouted caiman, spectacled caiman and yacare caiman, each are suspected to have been the perpetrator of a single fatal attack on a child (smaller and therefore a more likely target than an adult), although for each of these cases the identity of the species is not completely certain.[14][15][16][17]. However there were around 500 more of the escaping men who never left the swamp. The Tragic Story Of Over 900 Japanese Soldiers Slaughtered By Crocodiles | by L. Small | Medium 500 Apologies, but something went wrong on our end. Finally, the British soldiers realized the Japaneses situation and urged them to surrender to avoid further bloodshed. "[14] Subsequently, the story was incorporated into the Guinness Book of World Records as the worst animal attack ever recorded, due to Wright's statement that "[o]f about one thousand Japanese soldiers that entered the swamps of Ramree, only about twenty were found alive."[2]. Platt also noted that Wright did not actually "attribute the majority of Japanese casualties to crocodile predation", but merely specified that only 20 out of 1000 Japanese soldiers survived the battle, with crocodiles being "just one of many hazards". 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